Berberis plant named ‘ARLENE’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Berberis  plant named ‘ARLENE’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; variegated leaves that are light red, green and light yellow green in color; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Berberis thunbergii.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ARLENE’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY-RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Berberis Plant Named ‘AMERA’

Applicant: Timothy D. Wood

Ser. No. 16/350,427

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Berberisplant, commonly referred to as Barberry, botanically known as Berberisthunbergii and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘ARLENE’. The newBerberis plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Grand Haven, Mich. The objective of the breeding programwas to develop new unique Berberis plants with unique plant form andattractive leaves.

The new Berberis plant originated from an open-pollination in 2005 ofBerberis thunbergii ‘Rose Glow’, not patented, as the female, or seedparent and an unknown selection of Berberis thunbergii as the male, orpollen, parent. The new Berberis plant was discovered and selected bythe Inventor during the summer of 2011 as a single plant within theprogeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment inGrand Haven, Mich.

Asexual reproduction of the new Berberis plant by softwood cuttings in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Grand Haven, Mich. since the summerof 2011 has shown that the unique features of this new Berberis plantare stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations ofasexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Berberis have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘ARLENE’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘ARLENE’ as a new and distinct Berberis plant:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Variegated leaves that are light red, green and light yellow        green in color.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Berberis can be compared to plants of the femaleparent, ‘Rose Glow’. Plants of the new Berberis differ primarily fromplants of ‘Rose Glow’ in leaf color as plants of ‘Rose Glow’ have pinkand burgundy bi-colored leaves. In addition, plants of the new Berberisare more outwardly spreading than plants of ‘Rose Glow’.

Plants of the new Berberis can be compared to plants of Berberisthunbergii ‘AMERA’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No.16/350,427. Plants of the new Berberis are more outwardly spreading thanand not as compact and mounding as plants of ‘AMERA’. In addition,plants of the new Berberis have variegated developed leaves whereasplants of ‘AMERA’ have solid-colored leaves.

Plants of the new Berberis can also be compared to plants of theBerberis thunbergii, ‘Lime Glow’, not patented. In side-by-sidecomparisons, plants of the new Berberis differ primarily from plants of‘Lime Glow’ in plant habit as plants of the new Berberis are moreoutwardly spreading than and not as upright and rounded as plants of‘Lime Glow’. In addition, variegated leaves of plants of the newBerberis are lighter red in color than variegated leaves of plants of‘Lime Glow’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Berberis plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Berberis plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of atypical plant of ‘ARLENE’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalbranch and leaves of ‘ARLENE’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the spring and summer in apolythelene-covered greenhouse in Grand Haven, Mich. and under culturalpractices which closely approximate commercial Berberis production.During the production of the plants, dary temperatures ranged from 18°C. to 27° C. and night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 10° C. Plantswere about two years old when the photographs and detailed descriptionwere taken. In the following detailed description, color references aremade to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Berberis thunbergii ‘ARLENE’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Berberis thunbergii ‘Rose Glow’,            not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Berberis            thunbergii, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By softwood cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 20 days at            temperatures ranging from 18° C. to 27° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            months at temperatures ranging from 18° C. to 27° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness; fibrous; typically            white to brown in color, actual color of the roots is            dependent on substrate composition, water quality,            fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and            physiological age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium in density to dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial shrub; upright to            outwardly spreading plant habit; rapid growth rate and            vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit with about 10            to 15 lateral branches developing per plant.        -   Plant height.—About 20 cm.        -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 66 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 31 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 4 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 1 cm.        -   Aspect.—About 45° to 90° from main stem axis.        -   Strength.—Strong, flexible.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color.—Close to 181A.        -   Thorns.—Quantity: One thorn developing at each node. Length:            About 1 cm. Width: About 0.5 mm. Color, developing and            developed stems: Close to 4C; towards the apex, close to            200A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate or whorled; simple.        -   Length.—About 2 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.25 cm.        -   Shape.—Spatulate.        -   Apex.—Obtuse.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            145A and 145D. Fully expanded leaves, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 52B, 145D and NN137A; venation, similar            to lamina colors; leaves becoming closer to NN137A with            subsequent development.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and            lower surfaces: Close to 52B, 145D and NN137A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Flowers arranged in terminal            umbellate fascicles of three to eight flowers; flowers face            outwardly to drooping; freely flowering habit with about 500            flowers developing per plant.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Barberry flower            during the spring in Grand Haven, Mich.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about two weeks on the plant;            flowers not persistent.        -   Flower diameter.—About 5 mm.        -   Flower length (height).—About 9 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3 mm to 4 mm. Diameter: About 3            mm to 4 mm. Shape: Rounded, globose. Color: Close to 4A.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: About five to six in a single whorl.            Length: About 4 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Elliptic.            Apex: Obtuse. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 4A. Fully opened, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 4A; color does not change with            development.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Six sepals in a single whorl. Length:            About 4 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Roughly orbicular.            Apex: Obtuse. Base: Acute to obtuse. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth; glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 4A; towards the apex,            blushed with close to 47B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Aspect:            Upright to outwardly. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Close to 142A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: About six per            flower. Filament length: About 1 mm. Filament color: Close            to 137B. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther shape: Globular.            Anther color: Close to 12A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen            color: Close to 12A. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower.            Pistil length: About 3 mm. Style length: About 3 mm. Style            color: Close to 157B. Stigma color: Close to 157B. Ovary            color: Close to 157B. Seeds and fruits: To date, seed and            fruit development have not been observed on plants of the            new Berberis.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Barberry have been observed to    have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and    temperatures ranging from about −30° C. to about 38° C.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Berberis have not been    observed to be resistant pathogens and pests common to Berberis    plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Berberis plant named ‘ARLENE’ as illustrated and described. 